


love arrives, exactly when love's supposed to

by pxlarity



Series: when love arrives [2]
Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Borussia Dortmund, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 18:37:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16770646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pxlarity/pseuds/pxlarity
Summary: Marco and Auba's first 'I love you'. Set during Dortmund's 2017 DFB-Pokal win.





	love arrives, exactly when love's supposed to

Marco doesn’t know what he and Auba are.

Well, they're clearly  _ something _ . Marco just doesn't know what. Sometimes they watch movies and binge watch netflix shows. And other times, they go on sort-of dates to the cinema and restaurants. Spending the night in each other’s house isn’t a new thing either. Marco knows that they like each other's company, he just doesn't know how much exactly. 

Well, they've kissed. 

And they have sex, occasionally (after that one win on that one game, it became a regular method of celebration). But that's all. They've never said 'I love you’ to each other. They don’t have a name for whatever kind of relationship it is that they’re building. Marco considers calling them ‘friends with benefits’, but he genuinely feels like they're more than that. 

They're not quite lovers either though, to Marco’s slight displeasure. Honestly, Marco's comfortable enough as they are. So until Auba says anything about it, he won't. He’s afraid that he’ll do something stupid and mess up. After this whole thing started at the beginning of the year when they first trained again, Marco’s been very careful. 

He just doesn’t know where this is going to go.

Heck, he’s not even sure if he wants it to go anywhere after his previous experiences. But then he remembers the time they binge watched Disney movies together after the first day of training this year. Remembers the way Auba held his hand and how he leaned on Auba’s shoulder. How they remained that close for hours on end, until Auba gave in and kissed him.

Marco kissed back, perhaps too desperately.

After that, the atmosphere between them shifted from friendly to romantic. The hugs and affectionate gestures that once felt normal makes Marco’s heart beat faster now. And who is he kidding? He does want to be with Auba. Be his boyfriend, his special someone, his fucking everything. He’s just so afraid that it will fall apart again in time.

So things go on just like that, neither saying much about their new found development.

May comes along and it's the DFB-Pokal Final before they know it. Eintracht Frankfurt is no easy opponent.

They play until half-time. The score is even, one for Dortmund and one for Frankfurt. 

Marco goes to get a quick medical check during half-time. He  _ knows _ he can't play on after this. The sharp pain on his leg is a clear enough indication. What he needs to know is how long this one is going to last. And based on the words of the medical staff he forced to make an assumption, Marco's going to be missing a lot. More than what he missed due to last year’s injury. He doesn't know what to think anymore. His heart sinks down to the floor and Marco just wants the ground to swallow him whole. The pain on his leg becomes a dull ache when compared with how much his heart hurts.

He spends a couple of minutes that feels like forever just to make himself breathe properly again. It's like his lungs are too tired, to sick of this shit to continue working properly. Sick of supporting this fragile body. Marco doesn't blame them, he's starting to feel that way too. Somebody enters the clinic and Marco doesn't even bother to look up. It's probably the medical staff, here to tell him more bad news. Something like _ hey turns out you're not going to be playing again. Not just this match, but ever. _ Or maybe Marco's going to die tomorrow. The staff can honestly say that and Marco might not care.

“Hey,” an awfully warm and familiar voice suddenly fills the room, “are you-”

Marco knows it's Auba, but he still doesn't look up.

“Yeah, I'm injured again.”

Auba doesn't say a word, but Marco knows what he wants to ask. 

“The medical staff said it could be worse. It could last longer than the last one.”

Honestly, Auba is a bit lost for words. There really isn't much he could say. Because it doesn't matter how many times a player has been injured before, how bad it was, and how long the injury lasted. An injury will always be difficult to take. Especially for Marco who's done so well in so little time. For Marco who missed the 2014 World Cup, Euro 2016, and more, because of injuries. The Marco who has had an incredible comeback and as always, makes the team better. The Marco who doesn't give up, remains loyal, and is patient with his recovery. For this to be even longer than the last one, he can't even begin to imagine how Marco must feel. 

Marco is one of, if not the best player Auba has ever had the honor to play with. To see him so heartbroken like this, is- it makes him feel helpless. 

“I'm sorry,” Marco says quietly.

“Why would you be? This isn't your fault.”

“I wanted to help the team. Wanted to play a full season. After the last one, I promised myself that I-” Marco’s voice cracks, “I wouldn't get injured again, not like his.”

Auba gulps, feeling how dry his throat is. “Well then, we're going to make sure this season ends in a bang for you. We're going to win it for you.”

Marco doesn't have the heart to tell him that he wants to win it with them. Wants to fight until the dying seconds with them. Wants to hear the full-time whistle blow before he finally stops running. It'd be the his first silverware with Dortmund, aside from the supercup. Marco looks up at Auba and just hopes that it goes across to him, how much he wants to do that.

Their gazes meet and it feels like they're the only two people in the world. The crowd outside ceases to exist, the busy staff passing by are practically gone. Auba speaks and it's the softest, yet at the same time, loudest thing Marco has ever heard. 

“I'm going to win it for you.”

And while they've shared more physically intimate moments before, it doesn't quite feel like this. Auba's eyes are filled with such devotion that Marco almost wants to cry. 

Maybe he does, because he feels hot tears on the corner of his eyes. 

He shakes his head, because this is just too much. “No. Win it for us, hm?”

“Okay.”

Auba kneels down so he can get somewhat level with Marco who's sitting on the bed. He cups Marco's cheeks and brings their faces closer. Auba tilts his head ever so slightly and he kisses Marco. It's gentle and slow and tentative, like he's trying to heal Marco's pain just a bit. If he can for even just a second, lull the mess of emotions in Marco’s head, he would do it. So he kisses him deeper, still as gently as he can. Auba feels Marco's tears on his cheeks and it sends a pang towards his heart.

Marco doesn't deserve this.

They stop kissing and Auba opts to hug Marco this time. He holds him close and lets Marco bury his face on his shoulder as he cries. The way Marco cries is quiet, like he wants to keep it all to himself. Auba makes a note to get rid of that habit.

“You'll be alright,” Auba soothes him.

Marco doesn't answer for a while. He just grips tightly on the sleeves of Auba's jersey with trembling hands.

“Please don't leave me.”

Auba's a bit taken back by those words, by how small and fragile Marco sounds.

“I've loved you for such a long time Marco,” Auba says, pulling back and looking at his eyes in the sincerest way he can manage. “I wouldn't leave you.”

It breaks his heart when Marco looks down, avoiding his gaze. “People leave regardless, even when they say they love me. They leave, still.”

It dawns on Auba what Marco's words mean. It doesn’t just mean don’t leave. It’s also, don’t leave me like they all did. Don’t break my heart again. Don’t make me feel the same thing again. Don’t give up on me. Don’t say you love me if you’re going to go.

Auba shakes his head, his hands gripping tightly on Marco’s shoulders. “I promise that as long as you're playing here, I won't leave.”

Marco smiles at his words a bit, but he can’t tell if it’s out of happiness or bitterness. Can’t tell if he really believes it or not. He hopes Marco takes his promise seriously. Auba genuinely can’t think of a reason for him to break it, ever. He loves playing football in Dortmund. He loves Marco. When the two come hand in hand, it’s all he could ever want. It’s all he’s ever wished for.

Auba isn’t the type to make promises that he can’t keep. And he definitely doesn’t make promises that he’s going to break.

Suddenly, he hears the voice of a staff outside, calling out his name. He immediately stands back up, distancing himself from Marco. This is not the time to make a scene or start a scandal. 

“Auba,” the blonde haired staff says as he opens the door of the clinic, “the coach is calling for you. The break's going to be over soon. You better hurry back”

The staff then notices Marco sitting on the bed and nods his head at Marco. Marco nods back, barely showing any of the pain that was so prominent on his face just seconds ago. The staff member immediately turns around and continues on with his job. Auba looks at Marco, his fingers combing through his own damp hair. He doesn’t want to leave Marco alone.

“I've got to go now.”

He sees Marco close his eyes and let out a deep breath. “Go ahead.”

Then, Marco smiles at him. “I'll be supporting you from the bench soon.”

“I know,” Auba says, smiling back.

He turns around and walks towards the door, his steps heavier than they were when he walked in. Auba grips the handle of the door and pulls it down, prolonging every single action. It’s not good like this. He needs to focus on the game and win, he promised Marco afterall.

“Auba,” Marco suddenly calls out to him.

And again, for a moment it feels like they’re the only two people left in the world. Auba hasn’t even turned around to look at Marco when he says it.

“I love you.”

It’s impossible to explain, the way Auba feels when Marco says those three words. He feels so incredibly  _ complete.  _ Like Marco’s love is the one thing he’s always needed in his life. If he could, he’d hold Marco in his arms again and he’d never let go. But he can’t, he has a game to win. So he looks at Marco, who’s smiling at him, and Auba hopes that he can make Marco forget the injury just for a moment. Hopes that his words have the same effect on Marco the way Marco’s words affect him.

“I love you too,” Auba says. “No matter what happens, I’ll still love you.”

Marco just nods and he’s beaming, despite all that’s happening to him. So Auba knows that Marco’s happy to hear him say it. So Auba knows that he can make Marco happy. From now on, he’s determined to make Marco the happiest man alive for as long as he lives. He’ll make sure that no matter what happens, in the end Marco will still have a smile on his face like the one he has now. Marco deserves as much. And Auba’s going to start now. 

He walks out of the room, into the dressing room, then into the pitch with a new found confidence. With a new found sense of completion. 

Auba doesn’t make promises that he can’t keep. 

So he wins the game. He wins it for Marco.

**Author's Note:**

> I've actually written so many things as a part of this universe but I never get around to refining and posting them whoops. I'm still obsessed with Pierreus despite everything though, so it'll probably just accumulate more and more. Hope you enjoyed this slightly angsty fic!


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